Chapter 430: Feel Better In Your Arms.

Chapter 430: Chapter 430: Feel Better In Your Arms.

​"...I promised Rogard I’d help him with something," he informs Loac with a measure of regret, but when he removes the hands studying his chest Loac uses that as the perfect opportunity to relocate them to his cock instead; palming him through his clothes as he presses up against him from behind.

The urge to grind back into him is a difficult one to resist so Khobi doesn’t bother.

He’s rewarded with a light nip to the nape of his neck and the twitch of Loac’s burgeoning erection against his ass.

​"Rogard can wait," Loac hums; all traces of sleep miraculously vanished from his voice now that Khobi’s paying him some attention.

The languor to his hands is gone too.

Now they’re roving with purpose, slipping underneath his clothes in search of skin but seemingly undecided as to whereabouts they want to set to work first; whether they want to keep teasing his nipples, or start on his cock or his ass.

Khobi’s hips twitch against the palm of his hand to give him some direction.

​" You have a meeting with Drogger, remember?" he murmurs, letting his head loll as Loac brings his lips to his throat and start mouthing their way down towards his collar. And then up again, growing deeper, more heady; right to the sensitive spot beneath his jaw where he knows Khobi likes feeling his teeth.

​"I remember," Loac assures him, voice little more than a purr that pulls a moan from deep in Khobi’s chest, "... I just don’t care ."

​Khobi almost caves right then and there.

Almost.

​Rogard would never let him hear the end of it if he found out Khobi ditched him to get laid.

They’ve got plenty of time for that later.

​"...I’m gonna be late," he tells him reproachfully, when Loac loosens up his grip just enough to let him roll on top of him.

​"... Well , if you’re already gonna be late..." Loac smirks suggestively, crossing his arms behind his head in a way that he’s probably intending to be enticing.

​(So what if it is?)

​He doesn’t need to know that.

​Then, as if there was any chance Khobi didn’t catch his meaning, he cants his hips. A hot thrill shoots down Khobi’s spine, firing in scatters along his nerves.

​(It’s always felt different with him, hasn’t it?)

​" You are unbelievable ," Khobi says, hanging his head. It doesn’t come out as annoyed as he was hoping it would.

In fact, it comes out unmistakably affectionate, and when Loac grins up at him with that dumb lazy grin of his; his blue eyes mellowed soft and twinkling mischievously, Khobi’s pulse stumbles out of time and suddenly he can’t believe it’s taken him this long to realise that he wants to be the only person Loac looks at like this.

​He’s an idiot.

​The biggest idiot, even. When exactly it started and what trajectory it took Khobi has no idea, but looking back, there were probably signs about how he really felt scattered everywhere.

Puzzle pieces he didn’t heed because he didn’t realise he was meant to be looking. It’s a little embarrassing, actually.

Both liking the guy and having taken so long to have figured out that he did. Maybe , if he’d taken just a single look in the mirror he would’ve seen that look on his own face, staring right back at him.

Maybe then he would’ve figured it out a whole lot sooner. And then again, maybe not. Khobi’s pretty well acquainted with the power of denial, and as they say, ignorance is bliss.

​"Fine, fine," Loac sighs, sagging flat against the pillows in defeat. "Go see Rogard ." Dimly, Khobi realises that he can tell that he’s pouting and doing a really poor job at pretending that he’s not.

And maybe it’s rewarding bad behaviour, but Loac wants him to kiss him and Khobi wants to, so without really thinking about it, he leans down and kisses him.

​From the light gasp against his parted lips Loac hadn’t been expecting it, but he makes a quick recovery and it’s only a matter of seconds before Loac’s hands come up to his hair and his tongue is working it’s way into Khobi’s mouth.

​Dangerous, dangerous.

​"Tease," Loac whispers against his teeth, when Khobi makes to withdraw, grinning toothily. They both know that as far as teasing goes, that’s barely scratched the surface.

But it’s enough to have Loac’s eyes igniting with desire, so Khobi decides to remove himself from the situation before they get too carried away.

Loac’s gaze follows him the full length of the room and back, brazenly checking him out as he fishes for a fresh change of clothes.

​When he finally speaks though, he sounds different.

​"...Hey...Frost?"

Khobi’s not sure whether it’s the use of his given name or something about Loac’s voice that makes him pause.

He’s waited until his back’s turned to call out to him for whatever reason, so Khobi lets out a low hum as he pulls on his boots so that he knows he’s heard.

​Frost .

​He’s glad he’s got his back turned, actually. Like this Loac shouldn’t be able to see how something simple has made him turn so red.

But maybe he didn’t hear him, because now that he’s got his attention, Loac falls silent. A full minute or two drags by, and when no follow up is forthcoming Khobi risks a glance back over his shoulder to find Loac perched on the edge of the bed where he left them, chewing on his lower lip like there’s something troubling him.

And to his confusion, when Khobi shoots him a questioning look he...lowers his gaze.

​"...Last night," he eventually ventures, sounding uncharacteristically uncertain. Khobi’s hands fall still, waiting. "...I just...Are you...all good?"

​Ah, not uncertainty.

​Concern.

​" –I feel better now," Khobi assures him, and Loac doesn’t seem to buy the reassuring grin he sends his way. "...Don’t worry about it," he finds himself adding, perhaps a little too quickly, "...It was just a dream."

Inexplicably, those three little words suddenly feel all too close to the tip of his tongue again, just itching to be spoken aloud. Khobi finds himself clenching his jaw, just in case.

​"...Seemed like a pretty bad dream," Loac states, and while he keeps his tone casual, there’s something curious and oddly piercing about the way he appraises him that makes Khobi suddenly worried that he can somehow see what he’d seen.

That he can somehow hear what he’d said. Or rather, what he’d wanted to say.

​"Yeah," Khobi admits thickly, struggling to completely conceal a grimace, "It was."

​The worst, even .

​" –But it’s like I said," he says, wary of the way Loac’s sidling up towards him until they’re chest to chest, eyes concerningly sharp and devastatingly, enchantingly ferocious. "I’m fine."

​They’re not gonna hurt you, they seem to say, even now. Never again .

​Khobi’s mouth runs dry; heart skipping at the echo of Loac’s words breathed against against his brow, holding him tight as if to shield him from the encroaching storm. Or maybe welcome him into it.

​Loac considers him for a long moment, searching his expression –for what exactly, Khobi’s not entirely sure. It’s difficult to tell whether or not he finds what he’s looking for, but after a moment, with a small huff –like he’s decided to believe him –he leans in and grazes a light kiss against his cheek.

​Khobi’s face erupts in red for the second time today.

​"...Whatever you say," Loac tells him, lightly nudging him as he brushes past, and when he pulls away, his gaze is somehow light but unimaginably searing, and leaves his skin burning all over. "But if you’re not...tell me, yeah?"

​"Sure," he says, oddly breathless. "I will."

​"Good," Loac decides, with a small nod. He seems more placated than satisfied but doesn’t press, "I’ll see you later. Dinner, yeah?"

​"Right," Khobi echoes hoarsely. Just when he thought he’d gotten to grips with the gravity in Loac’s gaze it knocks him clean off his feet. "Dinner."

​How could he have ever convinced himself he’d been seeing things when it’s right there in Loac’s face, painted bright and obvious and every shade of blue.